Built for the GirlCode Hackathon 2024: Harness the power of technology to address pressing global challenges outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This Project won first place for the Johannesburg GirlCode Hackathon and was a finalist for the overall GirlCode Hackathon 2024. View the project here
The project was inspired by the pressing need to address inadequate access to menstrual health products particularly for menstrual hygiene management. Recognizing the impact of ineffective water management and the lack of community engagement and education on water and sanitation issues, we aimed to create a solution that empowers individuals, especially women and girls, to manage their hygiene and well-being effectively. This project is a website that allows women to buy their usual sanitary products and at marked up price. This marked up price goes towards making a sanitary products hamper for another girl in need.
Through this project, we learned the critical importance of integrating educational content and a products shop. We discovered that empowering young women like us requires a holistic approach that combines infrastructure improvements with educational and engagement initiatives.
- HTML5: For structuring the web page.
- CSS3: For styling the application.
- JavaScript: For making the app interactive and handling API requests.
- Git & GitHub: For version control and code hosting.
We developed a comprehensive website that includes features for educational content, period tracking, connecting with a gynaecologist near you, shop for sanitary products and donating sanitary products. Our demo uses HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. We plan to further develop the project by incorporating Node.js and Express to build RESTful APIs, and an SQL database to store data on sanitation stations and user feedback.
One of the primary challenges was deciding which features to prioritize and how we wanted the website to function. It was difficult to narrow down our focus, but through discussion, we were able to refine our ideas. We anticipate that our biggest challenges will come during the development of the website and the implementation of the desired features.
This project aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals:
- SDG 5: Gender Equality
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
By addressing these goals, the project aims to create a lasting positive impact on the health and well-being of communities, with a particular focus on empowering women and girls.